Folding machine



SePt- 17, 1935. J. B. coF'FEY FOLDING' MACHINE Filed Aug. 15, 1931 4 sheetssheet 1 J. B. COFFEY FOLDING. MACHINE Sept. 17, 1935.

Filed Aug. l5, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Nll //\/ VEA/TDR..

TM QJ. QQQlL (ii/MEM www@ Sept. 17, 1935. J. B. coFFEY FOLDING MACHINE I 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. l5,` 1951 Patented Sept. 17, 1935 UITED STATES ATENT oFFI/C FOLDING MACHINE Application August 13, 1931,'Serial No. 556,764

26 Claims.

This invention relates to machines and devices for operating uponparts of boots and shoes which are subjected to heat during manufacture, and

is herein illustrated as embodied in a machine for folding shoe parts the margins of which are coated with a thermoplastic'cement which is normally non-sticky but becomes sticky when subjected to heat.

In the manufacture of boots and shoes it is customary in some cases to finish the edges of parts of uppers, such for example as Vamps and quarters, by fastening to a shoe part along an edge thereof a strip of ribbon or tape, commonly known as French binding, and thereafter folding the free portion of the binding about the edge of the shoe part and pressing it ldown upon the body portion of the part, this binding ribbon or tape carrying a coating of thermoplastic cement which is normally non-sticky but is rendered sticky before it is pressed into place by a device for directing upon it a current of hot air. During the folding of a piece of work the operator may desire to stop the machine for short intervals, forexample, to pull out a portion of the French binding into proper position to be folded; and at such times it is desirable that the heating means bev rendered ineffective, since otherwise too much heat might be applied to the coating of cement in the particular locality on so the stationary piece of work to which the heat was being applied. In orderto provide for this and similar conditions, and in accordance with one feature of the invention, the effectiveness of the heat-ing device is controlled by operatorcontrolled means for starting and stopping the machine in such manner that starting the machine renders the heating device effective and stopping the machine renders the heating device ineffective. In the illustrated machine, in which a current of hot gas is directed through a nozzle upon the Work, the nozzle is movable, being so connected With operator-controlled means for starting and stopping the machine that it is normally held up in inoperative position when the 45 machine is at rest but is brought down into operative position when the machine `is started. Folding machines are usually equipped with operator-controlled means for varying the rate of feed of the work so that, for example, the work 5() may be fed at a maximum rate when straight edges are being folded and at a slower rate when curved edges are encountered. In machines in which the feed is continuous, a single operatorcontrolled means commonly varies the rate of rotation of the driving shaft of the machine; and

such a means is sometimes used in machines in which the feed is intermittent. In machines which the feed is intermittent, it is common, however, to provide two operator-contrlled means either of which may be used, one of which 5 varies the rate of rotation of the "driving shaft of the machine and the other of which varies the length of the steps of the intermittent feed mechanism. In any case, it is desirable to vary the amount of heat applied 'to the 'coating of 10 cement in accordance with the rate of feed 'of the Work. To this end, in accordance with another feature of the invention, operator-Gntrolled means for varying the rate of Vfeed 'of the Work is so connected with the heating means 15- that the amount 'of heat applied to thev Work varies in accordance with the rate of lfeed. "In the illustrated machine this is accomplished by causing the nozzle to be located nearer yto the work when the rate of feed is fast and to be located farther from the Work when the 'rate 'of feed is slow.

According to another feature of the invention, there is provided novel and improved means lfor directing hot gas upon the 'coating 'of cement 'on 25 the margin of the Work. To this end there is provided, means .for causing a current `o'f Shot gas to be directed upon the Work which comprises a nozzle through which the'current is ap*- piied, a combustion chamber freely open to the atmosphere with which the` inlet end of the nozzle is connected, a gas burner for directing 'a jet of lflame into the chamber, and means for supplying gas under pressure to the burner. In the illustrated construction an inflammable mixture of oxygen and acetylene is supplied to the burner which extends into the combustion chamber, 'this chamber having large openings in its wall, and an elongated nozzle of small cross-section islocated to receive the hot air from the chamber mixed with the `products of combustionand ldirect them upon the coating of cement. With this construction, the flame is maintained inside 'the tool so that only the mixture of hot gases reaches the work.

These and other features ofthe invention, including certain details of construction and 'combinations of parts will be described as embodied in an illustrative machine and pointed out in the appended claims. Y

Referring now to the accompanying drawings,

Fig. l is a front elevationof a machine in which the present invention is embodied;

Fig.` 2 is an end elevation of aportion of the machine showing a piece of work in process of 55 the plow and the gage of the patented machine being operated upon, and with the nozzle raised into a position corresponding to a slower rate of feed of the Work;

Fig. 3 is a detail showing a piece of work in section and the nozzle in full lines in its completely lowered position corresponding to a, maximum rate of feed of the work, the nozzle being shown in broken lines in position for a slower rate of feed;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through the device for heating air and directing it upon the work;

Fig. 5 is an end elevation of a portion of the machine, part of the cover having been broken away;

Fig. 6 is a detail, principally in section, showing more particularly part of the mounting of the heating device;

Fig. '1 is a view principally in elevation of a modied form in which the position of the heating device is controlled in accordance with the extent of the intermittent feed movements of lthe work; and

Fig. 8 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of the construction shown in Fig. '1.

The folding machine chosen for illustration is of an old and well-known type, being substantially like that shown in United States Letters Patent No. 1,702,598, granted February 19, 1929, upon an application filed in the name of Perley R. Glass. 'Ihe present machine differs from the patented machine principally by reason of being particularly adapted to fold French binding work, such as that shown in Figs. 2 and 3, comprising a piece of leather or other sheet material IIBD having attached to it by means of stitches 30!) a narrow fabric ribbon or tape 2011 which carries a coating of thermoplastic cement. The principal constructional difference between the present machine and the patented machine is that have been replaced by the gage 1 (Fig. 1) which engages the edge of the leather at its junction with the binding. It will be understood that the Work is fed away from the observer, as viewed in Fig. 1, over a work support 9 with the gage 1 in engagement with the edge of the leather. As the work progresses, the cement on the binding is softened and rendered sticky by directing upon it a current of hot gas through a nozzle II presently to be described. The binding with its softened cement is bent up about a creaser foot provided with a roller I4 by a reciprocating folding finger I5, and finally the bent-up binding is pressed down upon the body portion of the work. by a hammer I1, the hammer and a cooperating anvil serving also to feed the work intermittently. A treadle, not shown, attached to a treadle rod I9 operates a transmitter, presently to be referred to, beneath the bench on which the machine is mounted to start the machine at a certain speed when depressed a certain distance and, upon further depression to increase the speed of the machine. It will be understood that the rate of feed of the work depends upon the rate of rotation of the driving shaft of the machine imparted to said shaft through the transmitter.` No further description of the folding machine will be given, since its details of construction form no part of the present invention and any suitable machine may be used.

The nozzle I I (Fig. 4) leads from a combustion chamber 2| into which extends a gas burner 23, said chamber having large openings 25 in its wall through which air is drawn. The burner is supplied with gas under pressure through a small conduit 21 in a member 28, the lower end of which is threaded into the upper end of the burner. Any suitable inilammable gas may be supplied to the burner; and, in the illustrated construction, there is supplied a mixture of oxygen and acetylene or other inflammable gas, the two gases being conducted respectively from the usual pressure tanks, in which they are stored, through exible tubes 29, 3| connected to nipples 33, 35. The gases meet in a small chamber 31 where they are thoroughly mixed and pass from thence to the burner 23. The small intensely hot jet of flame 39 under pressure thus extends into one side of the combustion chamber into which air is drawn and in which it is heated; and, from the opposite side of the chamber, the nozzle II receives the hot air and the products of combustion and conducts them to whatever locality on a shoe part is to be heated. In the illustrated construction, as has been explained, the current of hot gas is directed upon the thermoplastic coating of cement on the binding 200 prior to the pressing operation.

In order to support the heating device for movement into different positions, a split collar 4I is fastened rigidly to the member 28 of the device and also to one end of a rod 43 by means of a pinch screw 45. The rod 43 (Fig. 6) is slidable for adjustment through a bore in the head 41 of a clamping bolt, the stem of which passes through adjacent ends of spaced clampin plates 49, 5I which have complementary rounded recesses to receive an upright rod 53. Passing through the plate 5I and threaded into the plate 49 is a clamping screw 55. By tightening this clamping screw and a nut 51 threaded on the end of the stem of the bolt 41, the plates are clamped rigidly in adjusted position to the upright rod 53, and at the same time the rod 43 is clamped to the plate 49. When the nut 51 is loosened, the rod 43 may be adjusted.

The upright rod 53 has its lower end of reduced diameter threaded into an eye 59 on the outer end (Fig. l) of a rock shaft 6I. The inner end of the rock shaft has teeth 62 on its periphery which engage complementary teeth formed in a bore in the Lipper end of a link 63 so that, when the link is swung to rock the shaft 6I, the heating device (Fig. 5) is swung from full line to dotted line position or from dotted line to full line position. The link 63 is pivoted at its lower end to the upper end of a link 65, the lower end of which is pivoted at S1 to an ear on a lever B9. The lever 69 is pivoted at 13 to the frame of the machine and is acted upon at all times by a small tension spring 15 which tends to hold the beveled end of the lever up against the conical end of an adjusting and stop screw 11 threaded through the cover of the machine. 'I'he tension spring 15 is fastened at its upper end to the head of a small screw 19 carried by the cover and at its lower end to the head of a small screw 8| carried by the lever 69.

The lever 69 is swung from full line to dotted line position by a vertically slidable push rod 83 which is connected in a manner presently to be described with a treadle. In the position of parts shown, the treadle is being held depressed against the force of the usual treadle spring which is much stronger than the small tension spring 15. If now the treadle is released, the push rod will swing the lever in a clockwise direction about its pivot 13 and thus swing the heating device into the raised inoperative position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5. The machine will then be at rest.

V at 89to the upper end of a rod 9|, the lower end of which is yieldinglyconnected to the outer end of an arm 93 pivoted to a stationary bracket 95 on the frame at 95, the yielding connection comprising two spaced collars 91, 99 fast to the rod 9| and 10. two compression springs IBI, |93. Connected by a link`|95 to the arm 93 is a second arm 'lill pivo'ted at one end at |98 to the bracket 96 and at the other end at |09 to the upper'end of the treadle rod I9. This treadle rod is connected'at its lower end to the usual ytreadle (not shown) normally held up by the usual comparatively heavy spring (also not shown).

As has been explained, movement of the treadle rod I9 controls the rate of rotation of the driving shaft of the machine through a transmitter. Any suitable transmitter may be employed, and consequently, the one illustrated will be onlybriefly described. It comprises a driving pulley ||5 connected by a belt IIB to a pulley on the driving Y shaft ofthe machine, a low speed pulley I'I driven by a belt Il. from a constantly rotating countershaft, not shown, and a high speed pulley vI I8 driven by a belt |`|9 from the same counter-shaft. Between the low speed pulley I I1 and thedriving 'I pulley I I5 is a one-way clutch of the Horton type which is ineffective until the treadle is depressed to rock the arm 93 about its pivot 95 sufciently to withdraw the lower end of a stop, in the form of a plunger |29 pivoted at |2| to one endof the arm 93, out of the path of an abutment |22 on the cage of the clutch. 'As soon as the arm 93 has been rocked counter-clockwise far enough to release the cage, the Horton clutch becomes eective, and the machine is driven at low speed. Between the high speed pulley H8 and the driving pulley I I5 is a friction clutch which is normally ineffective, but becomes effective when the arm 93 Iis rocked still further counter-clockwise into the position shown. When the arm 93 is rocked .counter-clockwise, the arm `||l`| is also rocked in the same direction, and presently, through an abutment screw |23 and a ball |24, pushes the high speed pulley I I8 to the right whereupon the friction clutch between that pulley and the driv- -in'g pulley |25 becomes effective vvto rotate the driving pulley I l5 faster. This is the position of parts shown, the increased rate of rotation of the driving pulley being permitted by reason of the fact that the one-way Horton clutch then overruns. By increasing andldecreas'ing the pressure applied to the friction clutch, and thereby causing it to slip more Aor less, a still further variation in speed may be obtained.

With 'regard to the heating device, it should be 602- noted that the combustion chamber is large and that the size of this chamber Aand the large openings 25 insure a sufficient supply of air so that any tendency to the accidental production of a jet of flame at the delivery end of the nozzle may be 1 I obviated.

7 i countered, the treadle is held down to its extreme limit, during which time the rate of feed of the work is at a maximum and the nozzle I I is close to the work, as shown best in Fig. 3. When sharply curved edges are encountered, the treadle is permitted to rise somewhat to reduce the rate of feed of the work and to permit the nozzle II to move away from the work into the position shown in Fig. 2. If, at any time, it is necessary to stop the feeding of the work so that the operator may, for example, manipulate a portion of the binding, the treadle is released, whereupon the heating device rises again to its inoperative position and remains in that position until the treadle is manipulated again to cause the work to be fed through the machine.

As has been explained above it is common in some machines in which an intermittent feed mechanism is employed to vary the rate of feed of the work by lengthening or shortening the extent of the movements of the intermittent feed members. In Figs. 7 and 8 there is shown a machine in which this sort of mechanism is so connected with the heating device that, when the work is being fed rapidly by comparatively long intermittent feed movements, the heating device is held close to the work, and, when the intermittent feed movements are shortened, the heating device is moved into and held in a position farther from the work.

The folding machine shown in these figures is substantially the same in most particulars as that shown in Figs. l to 6 inclusive. The work supporting, feeding and folding instrumentalities are the same as also is the heating device and its mounting; and the parts of the two machines which are the same have been given the same reference numerals. In this machine the rod 83 may be connected to a transmitter like that of the machine of Figs. l to 6 but will preferably be connected t0 a simple friction transmitter of usual form which will merely start the machine, run it at high speed and stop it. When, therefore, the treadle is held depressed, the parts will be in the positions shown in Fig. 8, with the right-hand end of `the lever 99 held up against the stop screw TI, the machine running at high speed, and the nozzle of the heating device close to the work. In this machine, the extent of the intermittent feed movements of the hammer and its cooperating anvil is determined by the position of a small pivoted arm |39 through linkage, a portion of which is indicated at i3! which controls the extent of swinging movement of a pivoted forked lever |32. When the small arm |99 occupies its lowermost position, as shown, the extent of the intermittent feed movements of the work is at a maximum; and, when it is swung up, this extent is decreased until a minimum is reached when the small arm E39 encounters a stop screw |33. The details of this mechanism for varying the extent of the intermittent feed movements will not be described here, reference being made t-o the patent. Connections are provided, however, in the present machine whereby varying the extent of the intermittent feed movements of the work, moves the heating device away from the work when the extent of said movements is decreased and causes the heating device to be moved toward the wort: when the extent of said movements is increased.

To this end a member is provided for pushing down the right-hand end (Fig. 8) of the lever 69 when the arm |39 is swung up to decrease the extent of the intermittent feed movements. This member (best shown in Fig. 7) is a lever |35 pivoted at |36. It has a down-turned forward end |35 which rests upon the top of the lever 69. The rear end of the lever |35 is also downturned and has at its end an enlarged portion which rests upon the top of a vertical pin |31. This pin passes loosely through a vertical bore in a lug on the frame and rests with its lower end upon the small arm |30. When, therefore, this arm is swung up to decrease the extent of the intermittent feed movements, the lever |35 is rocked to push down the right-hand end (Fig. 8) of the lever 69 and thereby raise the heating device from the position which it occupies in Fig. 8. And when the small arm |30 is swung down, the spring 15 raises the lever 69 once more to the position shown. In order to provide for ready manipulation of the small arm |30 to vary the rate of feed of the work by varying the extent of the intermittent feed movements and at the same time to apply more or less heat to the work, there is pivoted to the arm |30 at |38 a treadle-rod |39 connected at its lower end to a treadle, not shown, the construction being such that depression of the treadle pushes the treadle-rod up.

With this construction the preferred operation of the machine is as follows:

The treadle connected to the treadle-rod 83 is depressed to start the machine, whereupon the spring 15 swings the lever 69 to the position shown and thereby moves the heating device from inoperative position to the position shown. The machine is now running at full speed, and the extent of the intermittent feed movements of the work is at the maximum if now a curved edge of the work is encountered, the treadle attached to the treadle-rod |39 is depressed to raise that rod. This swings up the small arm |30 to dccrease the rate of feed of the work by shortening the extent of the intermittent feed movements, and, through the vertically sliding pin |31 and the lever |35, swings the lever B9 to move the heating device farther from the work.

Although the nozzle has been shown as directing the blast of hot gas directly upon the binding 200, this nozzle may be adjusted into different operative positions by reason of its mounting upon the rod 43. Thus, instead of being positioned to direct the blast of hot gas upon the coated margin, it may be positioned to direct the blast upon the margin of the body portion of the work thereby heating this portion so that the cement on the binding will be softened when it contacts with the heated portion.

Although the invention has been illustrated as embodied in a folding machine for folding a particular kind of work, it should be understood that it may be embodied in other machines or devices for applying a current of hot gas to shoe parts and that it is not limited in the scope of its application to the particular machine, nor to use with the particular machine, which has been shown and described.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a support for a shoe part, means for feeding the shoe part over the support, a member manipulation of which starts and stops the machine, and means responsive to movement of said member for instantly applying heat to the shoe part when the machine is started and for instantly stopping the application of heat when the machine is stopped.

2. A machine of the class described having, in

combination, means for operating upon a shoe part, means for feeding the part past the operating means, means for heating the part, a member manipulation of which starts and stops the machine, and means connected with said member for invariably rendering the heating means ineffective with respect to a shoe part which is in the machine when the machine is stopped and for rendering the heating means effective when the machine is started whereby the machine may be stopped at any time Without applying too much heat to that portion of the shoe part which is near the heating means.

3. A machine of the class described having, in combination, means for operating upon a shoe part, means for feeding the part past the operating means, means including a nozzle for directing a hot non-inflammable gas upon the part, a member manipulation of Which starts and stops the machine, and means connected with said member for moving the nozzle away from the part when the machine is stopped and for moving the nozzle toward the part when the machine is started.

4. A machine of the class described having, in combination, means for operating upon a piece of work having thereon a coating. of thermoplastic cement, means for feeding the work past the operating means, means for applying to the cement an amount of heat suicient to soften the cement and insufficient to injure the work, a member manipulation of which starts and stops the machine, and means connected With said member for invariably rendering the heating means ineective when the machine is stopped and for rendering said heating means effective when the machine is started.

5. A machine of the class described having, in combination, means for operating upon a piece of work having thereon a coating of thermoplastic 40 cement, means for feeding the work past the operating means, means including a nozzle for directing a hot non-inflammable gas upon the cement to soften it, a member manipulation of which starts and stops the machine, and means connected with said member for moving the nozzle away from the work when the machine is stopped and for moving the nozzle toward the work when the machine is started.

6. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a support over which a piece of work is fed having a coating of thermoplastic cement upon a margin thereof, means for folding the marginal portion of the Work over the body portion thereof and for pressing the folded-over margin against the body portion, means independent ofthe pressing means for heating the coating of cement to soften it, operator-controlled means for starting and stopping the machine, and connections between the heating means and the operator-controlled means such that starting the machine renders the heating means effective and stopping it renders the heating means ineffective to soften the cement.

7. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a support over which a piece of work is fed having a coating of thermoplastic cement upon a margin thereof, means for folding the marginal portion of the work over the body portion thereof and for pressing the folded-over margin against the body portion, means for softening the coating of cement including a nozzle movable from inoperative to operative position, and operator-controlled means for starting the machine and at the same time moving the nozzle Sinto operative position-and for stopping the machine andi ati the same time moving the nozzle into inoperative position.

8.: A- machine of the classldescribed having, in combination, a support over which a piece of ,Work isy fed having,v aA coating of thermoplastic 'cement upon a margin thereof, means for folding the marginal portion of the Work over the body portionthereofand for pressing the folded-over rnarginagainst the ybody portion, means for softening the coating of cement including a nozzle mounted for swingingA movement toward and from the Work, operator-controlled means for :starting/and stopping the machine, and connectionslbetween the nozzle and the operator-controlledimeans such that the nozzle is held in inroperative position when the machine is at rest `andfis swung into operative position When the 4the marginal portion of the Work over the body portionthereof andfor pressing the folded-over margin against the body portion thereof, a treadle manipulation of `which starts and stops the mazchine, means for, heating the cement to soften it,

airock-shaft: for moving the heating device to operative.v or inoperative position, and means con- `nected Withthe' treadle for rocking the shaftK 10; A machine of the class described having, in combination, means for operating upon a piece of work having thereon a coating of thermoplastic cement, means for feeding the Work past the operating means at varying rates, means comprising a nozzle adapted to deliver hot gas for `heating the cement to soften it, and means for varying the distance between thenozzle and the Work iii-accordance with the rate of feed of the Work;Y

11; Amachineof the class described having, in combinationa support Vover, which a piece of Work is fed having a coating of thermoplastic cement uponga margin thereof, means for folding themarginal'portion of the Work over the body Vportion thereof Aandro-r pressing the folded-over margin against the ybody portion, means for heating the coating` of cement to soften it, operatorcontrolled mleansg'forv varying the rate of feed of the; Work, andjconnections between the operatorcontrolled means and the heating means such that increasing the rate of feed increases the amount of heat applied to the coating of cement.

12. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a support over Which a piece of Work is fed having a coating of thermoplastic cement upon a margin thereof, means for folding the marginal portion of the Work over the body portion thereof and for pressing the folded-over margin against the body portion, means for softening the coating of cement including an adjustable nozzle for directing a current of hot air upon it, and operator-controlled means for varying the rate of feed of the Work and for simultaneously moving the nozzle nearer to or farther from the coating of cement on the Work according to Whether the rate of feed is increased or decreased.

13. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a support over which a piece of Work is fed having a coating of thermoplastic cement upon a margin thereof, means for folding the marginal portion of the Work over the body portion thereof and for pressing the folded-over margin against the body portion, means for softening the coating of cement including an adjustable nozzle for directing a current' of hot air upon it, amember manipulation 'of which varies the rate of feed of the Work, and connections .1' 5

between said member and the nozzle for adjusting the nozzle into dierent positions inl accordance with the rate of feed.

14. A machine of the class describedihaving, in combination, a support over which a pieceof Work is fed having a coating of thermoplastic cement upon a margin thereof, meansforffolding the marginal portion of the Workover the body portion thereof and for pressing the folded-over margin against the body portion, `and means for 1'5 directing a `current of hot non-iniiammable'gas upon the cement to soften it, said means comprising a nozzle through which the currentis applied, a gas burner, and means for supplying to the burner an inflammable gas underpressure. 15. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a support over which a piece of Work is fed having a coating of' thermoplastic cement upon a margin thereof, means for-folding, the'marginal portion of the Work over the 25 body portion thereof and for pressing the folded'- over margin against the body portion, and means forv directing a current of hot non-inammable gas upon the cement to soften itsaid,means comprising a nozzle through which the currentis applied, a gas Aburnenand means for supplying to the burner a mixture of oxygen and: anl inflammable gas under pressure.

16. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a support over Which a piece of Work is fed havingV a coating of thermoplastic `cement upon a margin thereof, means for folding the marginal portion of the Work over the body portion thereof and for pressing the foldedeover margin against the body portion, and means for heating the coating of cement to soften it, said means comprising a burner, means for supplying gas thereto under pressure, a combustion chamber into which the jet of burning gas extends, said chamber being open to the atmosphere to permit air to be drawn into it to be heated, and a nozzle leading from the chamber constructed and arranged to receive the heated air and to direct it upon the coating of cement prior to the pressing operation.

17'. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a support over which a piece of Work is fed having a coating of thermoplastic cement upon a margin thereof, means for folding the marginal portion of the Work over the body portion thereof and for pressing the folded-over margin against the body portion, and means for heating the coating of cement to soften it, said means comprising a burner, means for supplying to the burner an inflammable mixture of gases under pressure, a combustion chamber into which the burner extends, the Wall of said chamber being open to the atmosphere to permit air to be drawn into it to be heated, and a nozzle of small crosssection located to receive the hot air and direct it upon the coating of cement prior to the pressing operation.

18. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a support over which a piece of Work is fed having a coating of thermoplastic cement upon a margin thereof, means for folding the marginal portion of the Work over the body portion thereof and for pressing the folded-over margin against the body portion, and means for heating the coating of cement to soften it, said 5 means comprising a gas burner, means for supplying gas thereto under pressure, a combustion chamber into one side of which the jet of burning gas extends, said chamber being open to the atmosphere to permit air to be drawn into it to be heated, and a nozzle of small cross-section leading from the opposite side of the chamber constructed and arranged to receive the hot air together with the' products of combustion and direct them upon the coating of cement prior to the pressing operation.

19. A machine for applying heat to a shoe part having, in combination, a support for the part, means for feeding the part over the support, a heating member normally held in inoperative position, operator-controlled means for starting and stopping the machine, and connections between the heating member and said means such that manipulation of the means to start the machine moves the heating member into and holds it in stationary operative position to apply heat to the shoe part.

20. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a support for a shoe part, means for feeding the part over the support, means including a blast of gas for heating a portion of the shoe part, a member manipulation of which starts and stops the machine, and means connected with said member for rendering the heating means ineffective when the machine is stopped and for rendering the heating means eiTective when the machine is started.

21. A machine of the class described having, in combination, means for operating upon a shoe part having a coating of thermoplastic cement thereon, means for feeding the shoe part past the operating means, means including a blast of non-inflammable gas for heating the cement to soften it, a member manipulation of which starts and stops the machine, and means connected with said member for rendering the heating means effective or ineffective according to whether the machine is started or stopped.

22. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a support for a piece of work having thereon a coating of thermoplastic cement upon the margin thereof, means for folding the marginal portion of the work over upon the body portion thereof, means including a blast of noninflammable gas for heating the work to eifect softening of the cement, a member manipulation the cement prior to the folding operation, a. member manipulation of which starts and stops the machine, and means connected with said member for varying the temperature of the gas at the time that it strikes the shoe part according to Whether the machine is'running or at rest.

24. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a support for a shoe part, means for operating upon said part, means for feeding the part past the operating means, means including a blast of heated gas for delivering heat to the shoe part, and means for varying the amount of heat delivered by the blast to the shoe part in accordance with the rate of feed of the shoe part.

25. A machine for operating upon a shoe part having, in combination, means for feeding the shoe part, a member for applying heat along an edge thereof, said member being movable from operative to inoperative position, and vice versa, an operator-controlled member manipulation of which starts and stops the machine, and means connected with said operator-controlled member for moving the heating member into operative position when the machine is started, and for moving the heating member into inoperative position when the machine is stopped.

26. A tool for applying a blast of hot gas to a shoe part having, in combination, a burner, a conduit for an inflammable gas leading to the burner, a combustion chamber into one end of which the burner projects, said combustion chamber having a series of openings in its Walls located around the tip of the burner, the walls of the lower portion of the chamber opposite to the tip being funnel shaped and terminating in a conduit of small cross-section, and a slender elongated nozzle leading from said last-named conduit whereby, when the gas is ignited, a current of hot gas of small cross-section is directed upon a selective locality of the shoe part.

JOHN B. COFFEY. 

